CDW PARTNER REVIEW GUIDE WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE

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1 CDW PARTNER REVIEW GUIDE WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE

2 DIRECTION OF THE WIRELESS MARKET AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS IT As mobile devices become more common in the workplace, IT managers must prepare their infrastructures for wireless access and networking. According to a Forrester survey, an overwhelming majority (80 percent) of small and midsize organizations have already implemented some form of wireless networking. 1 And 35 percent of North American and European enterprises have made developing a comprehensive corporate mobility strategy a top mobile priority in the coming year. 2 A key part of their strategies will have to address network performance, which is critical for providing a wireless user experience that is as good as a wired one. Consequently, many IT managers are upgrading their infrastructures to better support mobile devices and provide ubiquitous connectivity. For a next-generation implementation, Forrester identified three characteristics of wireless infrastructures that can contribute to a positive user experience: Flexibility Wireless infrastructures must offer scalability, so infrastructure and operations managers can create the best wireless user experience. As the organization changes, outer edge wireless ports can easily be added to or subtracted from a flexible wireless infrastructure without a rippling effect throughout. Cost effectiveness They must leverage distributed computing power to adjust to new user loads. A cost-effective infrastructure will allow IT to deploy more access points instead of more or redundant controllers. Simplicity They must be in tune with the evolution of the local area network (LAN). A simplified wireless infrastructure has standardized processes, software and hardware that achieve new levels of efficiency. For example, standardization enables wide area network (WAN) optimization controllers to be leveraged when wireless traffic isn t tunneled back to a wireless switch. 3

3 CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR RIGHT-FIT WIRELESS SOLUTION AND PARTNER When it comes to making your wireless infrastructure more flexible, cost-effective and simple, it s important to have a partner dedicated to helping you navigate your many options and identify a right-fit solution for your unique needs. Based on decades of experience, CDW has identified various considerations that can influence wireless infrastructure requirements: Layout The number of locations, the layout of the buildings and the users are all important factors in the design of a wireless architecture. Environment Understanding the environment is important to the architecture of a wireless infrastructure. Vibrations, as well as dust and other particulates, might require a different configuration in order to achieve optimum performance. Applications It s critical to know which applications need transmission. Voice, video and data applications have different demands, so identifying the applications will help determine the required bandwidth. Management Wireless network management software can report valuable usage statistics, detect rogue access points and more. The right management software will depend on the monitoring wants and requirements of the organization. Security Wireless networks can be more secure than wired networks because of encryption of the data when transmitted, but there needs to be a special emphasis on threat prevention solutions when possible. A detailed assessment can determine which security precautions must be implemented.

4 SELECTING THE VENDORS THAT MEET YOUR WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE NEED CDW has partnerships with several wireless infrastructure providers that can deliver the components to build a solid infrastructure. Here, we highlight three leading vendors and offerings to start you on your wireless infrastructure installation or upgrade.

5 Aruba s AirWave is designed to be a powerful, easy-to-use network operations solution built to manage the Mobile Virtual Enterprise portfolio of wireless LAN (WLAN) and remote access solutions. This solution helps enable IT staff effectively manage enterprise mobility including real-time monitoring, proactive alerts, historical reporting and fast, efficient troubleshooting through a centralized, intuitive user interface. AirWave can also help organizations easily migrate from legacy Wi-Fi to the latest Aruba n wireless networking solutions with multi-infrastructure and multivendor support for leading traditional fat access points. Among many other offerings, Aruba also features the ClearPass Access Management System, which helps organizations easily manage and secure network access across wireless, wired and virtual private networks. This solution is designed to easily and securely connect IT-issued and personal mobile devices to any network.

6 Cisco has an extensive and robust line of leading wireless infrastructure offerings that include the Cisco Prime portfolio, which is designed to enable IT organizations to more effectively and simply manage networks and the services those networks deliver. This set of offerings provides users with immediate access to key management data, providing critical network insights and speeding time to value. It also offers a detailed assessment of network readiness to improve planning for upgrades and enhancements. Cisco Identity Services Engine is designed to provide strong management and security for LANs and WLANs. This context-aware, identity-based platform can help organizations reliably enforce compliance, enhance infrastructure security and streamline service operations.

7 HP Networking continues to establish itself as a leader in wireless switching with the FlexNetwork Architecture, which converges wired and wireless networks to provide single-pane-of-glass management, security administration, policy enforcement and guest access capabilities. It includes HP Intelligent Management Center software, which is Wi-Fi certified to help ensure interoperability of WLAN products. It provides secure connectivity for wirelessly enabled notebooks, tablets and handhelds, delivering a wireless network with the same functionality as a LAN connection.

8 MOVING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE AND CDW With technologies constantly changing and evolving, it is important to select a partner that has a pulse on the industry. CDW has account managers ready to assist you and experienced solution architects with the latest industry trainings and partner certifications, including with Aruba, Cisco and HP. Our architects will help you select the best products for your infrastructure needs and IT environment whether they are from one vendor or many so you have a solution made of the best the industry has to offer. Beyond product selection, our wireless infrastructure specialists are prepared to support you through planning, implementation and maintenance and to answer your questions along the way. Let our decades of experience and thousands of implementations guide your solution selection and implementation so you can move forward with confidence. Wireless infrastructure partnerships and certifications: Aruba Sales Specialist Cisco Global Small Business Partner of the Year 2011 Cisco US and Canada Small Business Partner of the Year 2011 Cisco US Central Region Data Center Partner of the Year 2011 Cisco US Central Region Partner of the Year 2011 Cisco Gold Certified Partner (ATP Outdoor Wireless Mesh) Cisco Professional Services Subcontractor Cisco Customer Satisfaction Excellence Cisco Wireless LAN Design Specialist Cisco Wireless LAN Sales Specialist Cisco Wireless LAN Support Specialist Cisco CCDA, CCDP, CCNA, CCNP, CCSP, CCIE HP Preferred Business Partner HP Master Accredited System Engineer

9 Learn more: Please contact your account manager or visit CDW.com/wireless-infrastructure 1 Demand Insights: The Network and Telecommunications Market For SMB Customers, Forrester, February Address Complexity with Mobile Security And Operations, Forrester, May How I&O Can Create a Wireless User Experience Network, Forrester, August The terms and conditions of product sales are limited to those contained on CDW s website at CDW.com; notice of objection to and rejection of any additional or different terms in any form delivered by customer is hereby given; CDW, CDW G and PEOPLE WHO GET IT TM are trademarks of CDW LLC; all other trademarks and registered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners CDW LLC